Education Law

Larry McCord and Associates, LLC. has many years of experience in education law helping parents with children who range from pre-K through high school. Larry McCord has been an educator and a school administrator himself for over 20 years and understands the nature of this area of law. The firm has helped several students, parents, and teachers in advocating for their rights through zealous representation and dedication to our clients.

Under both federal and state law, school districts are required to provide free, appropriate public education to each qualified person with a disability who is in the school district's jurisdiction. Larry McCord and Associates, LLC, assists parents and guardians of children with disabilities in fighting for their child's right to a free and appropriate education.

Special Education Law

Your child's education is a precious right, so you must take every conceivable opportunity to safeguard this right. If your child needs special services to get the most from his/her education, it is best to have the services of an experienced attorney to shepherd your way through a complicated and sometimes difficult process. The whole concept of services rendered to a child with special needs can be summed up as the best available services a school district can offer in the least restricted (also called mainstreamed) environment to do so. This invariably means that the school district must spend extra time and money, so some conflict can be reasonably expected in times of reduced school budgets.

Disciplinary Hearings

Under New York Education Law §3214, whenever a school district seeks an out-of-school suspension against a student for more than five days an administrative hearing must be held. Such administrative hearings are referred to as a 3214 Superintendent Hearings or alternatively, a Superintendent Hearing or disciplinary hearing.

In general, a 3214 Superintendent Hearing is comprised of a meeting with school officials, the student, parents or guardians, and any other parties who were involved in the alleged incident a issue. The hearing provides an opportunity for your child to present his side of the story before it is determined whether discipline is needed.

Teacher's Rights

New York City school teachers accused of incompetence or misconduct are subject to termination of employment after a formal hearing referred to as a 3020 hearing. A 3020 hearing is a non-legal disciplinary proceeding undertaken by school districts. Because a 3020 hearing is non-legal, an attorney is not permitted provide representation during the actual hearing. However, teachers can consult an attorney for counsel and advice during the 3020 hearing. Here, retaining a teachers' rights lawyer can help pre-empt trumped up charges.

More Education Law Areas

The firm has also helped several students, parents, and teachers in advocating for their rights through zealous representation and dedication to our clients in the following areas:

Student’s Rights
Parent’s Rights
Excessive Disciplinary Measures by Schools
Individualized Education Plans (IEP)
School searches: Authority of School Officials to Search Students
Appeals to Decisions made by Board of Education
Appeals to Commissioner

Do I need an attorney?

Whether you need a New York divorce lawyer, a criminal defense lawyer, a school suspension lawyer, a child criminal lawyer, or a compassionate child custody attorney, the attorneys at Larry McCord and Associates are on your side. We understand just how frustrating the legal process can be, and we will lend our expertise and knowledge to guide you throughout the entire process. Having a lawyer is vital if you want the best chance of success at winning your case. If you try to represent yourself without any assistance, then you could run into costly mistakes that could be avoided with competent legal counsel on your side.

Contact Larry McCord and Associates

Attorney Advertising: This website is meant for informational purposes only and should not be construed as formal legal advice. For advice regarding your specific situation please request a consultation with one of our attorneys. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.